Vending machine



Feb. 12 1924. 1,483,309

J. W. MOCOMMINS v VENDING MAQHINE Febc i J. W. MCCOMMINS VENDING. MACHINE Filed Aug.- 11. 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 JNVENTOR. J. Meer MCaMM/Ns ATTORNEYS.

Patented Feb. l2, lt

inane rnfrsivr erstes'.

JAMES WARREN MCCOMM/INS, 0F SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA.

VENDING MACHINE.

Application tiled August 11,1921. Serial No. 491,407.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known 'that l, JAMES jWARnnN Mo- CoMMINs, a citizen of the Dominion of Canada, and resident of San Diego, county of San Diego, and State of California, have invented a new and useful Vending Machine, of which the following is a specilication.

The present invention relates to improvements in vending machines in general and more particularly to a vending machine for cigarettes or small packages of similar size and shape, which is adapted to be placed on the tables in restaurants, cafs, hotel lobbies or other rooms., is small in its dimensions and easily moved about, and has four diiierent divisions for the convenient sale of four different articles. A further object of my invention is to pro-vide a vending machine that isl very simple of construction, easy to take apart, that consists of very few parts and is combined with a match box holder and an yash tray so as to make up a complete sei; satisfying all of the demands of a person who wishes to enjoy an occasional smoke without having to carry the smoking utensils in his pockets.

l preferably attain these objects by means of the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 represents a side elevation of my device, a portion being shown broken away so yas to disclose the inner working parts, Figure-2 a horizontal cross section along line' II-II of Figure 1, Figure 3 a templet of sheet iron or the like illustrating the manner in which an inner portion of the housing is laid of, Figure 4 a similar templet for the outer portion of the housing, and Figure 5 avfragmentaryy detail view of the working mechanism of my device.

Referring to the drawing in detail, it will be seen that my device rests on the base (1), which latter is shaped to serve as an ash tray and may be modified in any manner desired. In the drawing it is shown as having an elevated central portion (2) surrounded by an annular groove (3). The central portion (2) is provided with a threaded perforation (4) into which the center rod (6) is screwed and secured by the nut (7). This center rod extends upward vertically and on it pivots the whole device.

rThe housing of my device is very simply constructed and consists principally of an outer portion (8) and an inner portion I'prefer tocut either portion out of one piece of sheet metal or the like and use for this purpose the templets Shown in Figures 3 and 4. For the inner portion the templet of Figure 3 is to be used, which consists of a square central portion (11) forming the bottom of the device having a central hole (12), the four corners marked off by lines (14), so that they maybe ,turned up, and a strip (16) extending from each corner in diagonal direction. From the central portion of each side of the square extends a small strip (17 adapted to be turned back on the central portion and to connect with the four sides (18). The latter sides are surrounded by strips (19), two of which are turned outwardly so as: to form, with the side and the strip (17 a retainer for the cigarettes, and one inwardly. The latter has a slit adapted to receive one of the chutes hereinafter mentioned and to support the same. Flaps (21) areprovided on the strips to be joined together. lt will be seen that a piece of sheet metal laid off in this fashion can be easily bent and secured into the inner portion (9) of the housing shown in Figures 1 and 2 by turning the strips (17 )f inwardly to lie flat againstl the central portion (11), by turning the sides (18) upward into an almost vertical/position, bending the' strips (19) outward and the flaps (21) toward each other so that they foot on the lines (14) and then turning the corners ymarked by the linesy (14) upward so that they together`with the strips' (lo) lie flat onthe jointbetween theflaps (21) and can be soldered to the'same. Two slits' (20) are provided in the bottom (11) parallel to each side having Va connecting central cross-slit (25), whereby two leaves (30) are cut out which may be turned upwardly at right angles to the bottom and form a support for parts of the working mechanism, as will appear hereinafter.-l

In a similar manner I lay oil' the outerportion of the housing which is adapted to A small extension (35) beyond the line (28) is adapted to be turned back on each wing and to grip the upper edge of the flaps (21).

The outer portion of the housing has also a. central hole (31) for the center rod (6) and a rectangular recess (32) in its center adapted to receive a match box. The flaps (27) are also provided with slits (33) for` strips of isinglass through which the contents of the spaces enclosed by the inner and outer housings may be inspected, and are shorter than the wings (29) so as to leave an opening (53) for the contents of the retainer.

It will thus be seen that the inner housing forms the bottom of the apparatus and provides four slanting retainers in rectangular arrangement for the reception of cigarettes and the like and that the outer housing provides a top and the four covers for the four retainers, the central rod (6) penetrating both of them. The outer housing is supported altogether on the inner housing and the latter on a sleeve (36) extending between the base and the bottom of the lower housingr and prevented from side play by an annular ring Proceeding now to the operative parts of my mechanism, it will be seen that the central portion of the same is filled by a vertical casing (38) for the coin box (39). Four coin passages or chutes (40) extend from the casing upward to the top of the housing arranged ,in cross formation, each pasage forming an elbow so as to approach the casing slantingly. The coin box itself is provided with a central vertical sleeve (45) rising from its bottom and loosely litting on the rod (6), by means of which the same can be lifted upwardly and withdrawn from the casing. When a coin is dropped into one of these chutes it passes and presses down on a. trigger (41) pivot-ally secured at (42) in two brackets (43) depending from the chute and thereby releases a semi-circular disc (44) pivotally supported in the same brackets, a notch (46) in which normally engages one end (47) ofthe trigger (41). While pressing down on the 'trigger the coin comes to a stop in contacting with t-he arm (48) of a yoke (49) pivotally secured in the semi-circular disc and cannot drop into the coin boxuntil this impediment is removed. The free end of the yoke (49) extends downwardly through the bottom of the housing and is secured to the central portion of a lever (50) which is channel shaped, toeing downwardly, and one end of which is pivotally supported on the sleeve (36) as shown at (51), while the other end carries an upwardly extending strip (52) adapted to close the opening left in the lower portion of the upper housing for the cigarettes and a convenient handle (54) by means of which the lever may be depressed.

The yoke (49) just conveniently clears a cylinder (56) eccentrically pivoted on the pin (57) supported on the two leaves (30) rising vertically from the bottom of the inner housing. The cylinder is engaged, at a pointk diametrically opposite to its eccentric pin, by one side of a rectangular ring (59), the opposite side of which is operatively connected with a yoke (61) which latter extends into the box reserved for the cigarettes so that it almost touches the lowest cigarette and is ready to push the same out of the box when pushed forward. rlhe cylinder (56) is also operatively connected with the lever (50) by the yoke (55) so that when the latter is pushed downward, the cylinder rocks on its eccentric pivot and throws the yoke (61) forward through the ring (59). A spring (62) is secured underneath the lever (50) and has a tendency to push the same upward again when the same is released from the pressure of the hand of the operator. Two semi-circular holders catch the cigarette as it drops out of the bar.

The upper housing` can be locked to the central rod against removal by any desired lock, as for instance the padlock (63) shown in the drawing.

To use my device7 first remove the outer housing and fill the four boxes with cigarettes, either single ones or in pairs or in any units desired., or with any other packages which it is desired to sell; then slide the outer housing over the inner housing, lock the outer housing to the shaft by means of the padlock (63) and insert the match box into the top of the outer housing. To obtain a cigarette, drop a specified coin through one of the chutes, which coin hits the trigger (41) thereby releasing the semicircular disc (44) and is stopped by the arm (48). The operator then presses down on the handle (54) whereby he removes the strip of metal (52) from the opening so that a cigare-tte is free to leave the retainer, pushes forward the yoke (61)7 and with it the lowest cigarette, so that the saine drops on the holders (65) and releases the coin to drop into the coin box. When the pressure is released from the handle, the spring (62) forces the lever upward again, thereby closing the opening, withdrawing the yoke (61) so as to allow the next cigarette to drop into the position of the one taken out and returns the semi-circular disc to its original position in which it is locked again by the trigger (41) engaging the 'notch (46) with its point (47 To remove the coins, the lock is unlocked, the outer housing slipped off, and the'coin box) removed by taking hold of the sleeve I claim: 1. In a 'vending machine, an operating mechanism comprising a coin box, a coin passage leading into the same, a retainer for merchandise to be sold having al discharge opening near its bottom, and, manually operated, means and coinactuated means co-operatively associated for successively withdrawing predetermined portions of the merchandise, the latter being adapted to normally lock the former and to unlock the same when actuated by a passing coin, the former comprising a coin stop for maintaining the coin in active engagement with the unlocking means, means for removing merchandise from the retainer and a springactuated closure for the opening adapted to be manually opened and to simultaneously render the merchandise-removing means active and the coin stop inactive.

2. In a vending machine, an operating mechanism comprising a co-in box, a coin passage leading into the same, a retainer for merchandise to be sold having a discharge opening near its bottom, and, manually operated means and coin-actuated means cooperatively associated for successively withdrawing predetermined portions of the merchandise, the latter comprising a trigger adapted to normally lock the former and to unlock the same when actuated by a passing coin, the former comprising a c-oin stop for maintaining the coin in active engagement with the trigger, means for removing merchandise rom the retainer and a springactuated closure for the openingadapted to be manually opened and to simultaneously render the merchandise-removing means active and the coin-stop inactive.

3. In a vending machine, a horizontal arm pivotally supported at one end having a closure associated with the other end and means for locking the same in an active position, comprising a lever supported above the arm, an operative connection between the arm and one end of the lever and a trigger supported above the lever engaging a notch in its other end for holding the same against upward motion.

4:. In a vending machine, a horizontal arm pivotally supported at one end having a closure associated with its other end and coin released means for locking the same in an active position comprising a lever supported above' the arm., an operative connection between the arm and one end of the lever, a coin passage above the lever, and a trigger supported between the lever and the coin passage engaging a notch in the other end of the lever for holding the same against upward motion and having one arm extending into the coin passage adapted to disengage the trigger from the lever when struck by a passing coin.

5. ln a vending machine, a horizontal arm pivotally supported at one end having a closure associated with its other end and coin released means for locking the same in an active position comprising a lever supported above the arm, an operative connection between the arm and one end of the lever, a coin passage above the lever, and a trigger supported between the lever and the coin passage engaging a notch in the other end of the lever `for holding the same against upward motion and having one arm extending into the coin passage adapted to disengage the trigger from the lever when struck by a passing coin, a stop associated with the first mentioned end of the lever eX- tending into the coin-passage Jfor holding the coin in its trigger releasing position.

JAMES WARREN MCCOMMINS. 

